1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to electrode padsets. Specifically, the invention is directed to patient-contacting conductive pads arranged on a single piece of material.
2. Background of the Invention
Medical electrodes transfer the energy of ionic currents in the body into electrical currents that can be amplified, studied, and used to help make diagnoses. Medical electrodes permit surface quantification of internal ionic currents, yielding an ordinarily non-invasive test for a variety of nervous, muscular, ocular, cardiac, and other disorders that might otherwise have required surgical means to verify their presence. For instance, muscular exams using electrodes may produce evidence of diminished muscle strength and can discriminate between primary muscle disorders and neurologically-based disorders, in addition to detecting if a muscle is truly weak or seems so due to other reasons. The electrodes are typically easy to use, fairly cheap, disposable (or easily sterilized), and often unique in the tasks they help to perform. The essential role of the electrode is to provide ideal electrical contact between the patient and the apparatus used to measure or record activity.
Medical electrodes are generally comprised of a lead or wire (for conduction of electrical current), a metal electrode, and electrode-conducting paste or gel for surface electrodes. There is also often a metal (for good electrical contact) snap for the lead to snap into place so that the electrode can be disposable while the lead can be reused. Existing electrode leads are usually designed to be a maximum in length to accommodate all size patients. However, when used with smaller patients, the extra length results in excess wires around the patient. The excess wires can be a source of discomfort and are a safety hazard because the wires can become caught when the patient moves in and out of bed or needs to have other procedures done in the hospital. Due to the length of existing leads, it is often difficult to keep the wires from tangling and to maintain appropriate application of the electrodes while minimizing the length of the leads.